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(No Model.) R.L.M0RGAN.

Ms PRODUCER. No. 575,305. Patented Jan. 12,1897.

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RALPH L. MORGAN, OF VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACF.,

GAS-PRODUCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.. 575,305, dated January 12, 1897.

Application filed Mmil 8, 1895. Sellitl N0` 541,037. (N0 mOClBlr) Massachusetts, have invented a certain newV and useful Improvement in Gas-Producers, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to the apparatus employed in the production of gaseous fuel for metallurgical or other operations by the distillation of coal or other solid fuel, and known asa gas-producer, in which the solid fuel is supported upon a deep bed of ash and inclosed in a combustion-chamber within which a blast of air or air and steam is discharged in order to effect the combustion of the solid fuel.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved means for grinding and discharging the ash or other non-combustible material; to provide means for collecting the discharged ash in a receptacle independent of the pit or chamber containing the operative mechanism; to provide a simple and eflicient construction which will allow the discharged ash to be readily removed and which will allow convenient access to the ashechamber, and also to provide an improved con struction and arrangement of the operating parts of the apparatus; and these object-s are attained by means of the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, and set forth in the annexed claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a central vertical sectional view of so much of a gas-producer as is necessary to fully illustrate the nature and character of my invention, and Fig. 2 represents a top view of the ash-supporting table and the rotating ash-scraper.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both figures.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the combustion-chamber; B, a bosh-shaped ashhopper provided with perforations B', and also provided with teeth B2 upon its lower edge, forming a serrated edge.

C denotes a stationary table placed a short distance below the lower open end of the bosh-shaped hopper B and supported upon walls C', preferably of masonry, said walls inclosing a chamber or pit C2, in which is placed the driving-gear by whichthe rotating scraper is actuated, as hereinafter de scribed. From the under side of the table C a tubular sleeve C3 extends downward into the pit C2 to receive and form a journal-bearing for the hollow hub D of a rotating ash-scraper D. The sleeve C3 is provided with grooves forming the annular chambers D2 and D3in which are placed a series of friction-balls D1 in contact with the hollow hub D.

The ash-scraperD consists of the two blades D5 and D6, which rest upon the uppersurface of the stationary table C, rotating in the direction of the arrow l, Fig. 2, and provided with the curved or convex edges d d.

To the lower end of the hollow hub D', I attach a beveled gear DT, engaged by a pinion D8, carried upon a rotating driving-shaft D9, by which rotary motion is imparted to the ashscraper D. The ash-scraper is also provided upon its upper side with a hollow hub D10, the hubs D and D10 forming a continuous passage D, communicating at its lower end with the pit C2, through which a blast of air, steam, or commingled air and steam can be discharged into the combus'tion-cliamber A.

D12 is a conduit through which air or steam is supplied to the pit C2, and D is a hood supported by the hub D10 and covering the passage D11.

Arranged around the wall C/ is a shallow annular pan E, in which are placed columns F, forming a support for the walls A of the combustion-chamber A, and the space between the annular pan E and the walls of the combustion-chamber is closed by a tubular shutter G, having its lower edge G' entering the pan E, and having its upper edge turned inward and downward, as at G2, and entering an annular trough II,which is attached to the walls of the combustion-chamber.

The annular trough Il and the annular pan E are iilled with water to seal the edges G and G2 of the tubular shutter G when the shutter is in its lowest position, as represented in Fig. l.

Counterweights l are connected with the tubular shutter G by a flexible connection J, which passes over an elevated pulley, (not shown in the drawings,) whereby the weight IOO of the tubular shutter G is balanced by the counterweights I in the usual and well-known manner.

The operation of the gas-producer, so far as the parts embodying my invention are concerned, is as follows: The fuel contained in the combustion-chamber A rests upon a bed of ash contained in the ash-hopper B, the ash being supported upon the stationary table C and upon the upper surface of the rotating ash-scraper D. The annular pan E and the annular trough II are filled with water and the tubular shutter lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1, a blast of steam or air and steam is forced through the conduit D12 into the pit C2, and from the pit C2 it passes upward through the passage D11 to the combustion-chamber. A rotary movement is imparted to the ash-,scraper by the drivingshaft D, causing the ashes to be pushed in advance of the curved edges a a and forced radially outward and deposited in the annular pan E. Clinkers or similar non-combustible material are carried by the rotation of the ash-scraper D around beneath the iixed teeth B2, by Which the clinkers are ground or disintegrated so they will be readily carriedover the edge of the table and deposited in the annular pan E. Then the deposit of ash is to be removed from the pan E, or it is neccssary to observe the grinding operation of the scraper D and teeth B2, or for any purpose access is desired to the ash-hopper B and table C, the tubular shutter G is raised, thereby opening the spaces between the supporting-columns F. The ash removed from the table C is carried entirely into the annular pan Il, leaving the pit C2, in which I inclose the scraper-actuating mechanism, free from the objectionable deposit of ash and clinkers and allowing the ash to be readily removed.

vWhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a gas-producer, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of a stationary table below said chamber and provided with a concentric j ournal-bearin g for a rotating scraper, supporting-walls supporting said table and inclosing a pit beneath said table, a rotating scraper having radial blades above said table and having a hub j ournaled in the concentric bearing of said table and extending into said pit and means inclosed in said pit and connected with said hub for rotating said scraper, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-producer, the combination with a combustion-chamber and a stationary ashsupporting table beneath said chamber, of walls supporting said table and inclosing a closed chamber, forming the pit, a rotating scraper journaled in said table, means inclosed in said pit for rotating said scraper and an annular pan outside the walls of said pit and surrounding said table to receive the ashes delivered from the edge of the table by said scraper, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-producer, the combination with a combustion-chamber and an ash-hopper, of a stationary table placed a short distance below said hopper, a series of iiXed teeth located a short distance above said table and an ash-scraper rotating between said table and said fixed teeth, substantially as described.

t. In a gas-producer, the combination of t-he walls A/ inclosing a combustion-chamber, columns I supporting said walls, tubular shutter G, ash-hopper B, stationary table C, rotating ash-scraper D and an annular pan E arranged below the surface of said table, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-producer, the combination of a combustion-chamber, a stationary ash-supporting table belowT said chamber having a concentric journal-bearing, walls supporting said table and inclosing a pit beneath the table, a rotating scraper above said table provided with a hollow hub projecting above the scraper and a hollow hub projecting below the scraper and journaled in said concentric bearing of the table, means connected with the lower hub of said scraper for rotating the same, a conduit by which air is delivered to said pit and through thehubs of said scraper from said pit to the combustion-chamber and a receptacle outside the walls of the pit for the reception of ashes from said table, substantially as described.

Dated this 5th day oi' March, 1895.

RALPH L. MORGAN. lVitnesses:

RUFUs B. FowLEn, EMMA KEsTER. 

